P95DC vs P89DC - anything to be aware of?

[Knecht]

I have a P89DC and now one of my friends is thinking about buying P95DC for his first gun. There's one for sale here, pre-owned but looks like new, price is good...he already saw and handled my P89 and liked it (so do I!) and now he asked me for advice if there's any significant difference between those two to be aware of, or possible reliability issues, ammo sensitivity and such. He's new to guns and I won't be with him when he's buying the gun (he lives too far), so I'd like to give him some hints to follow.
So, what are the differences?

- polymer frame on P95 - any known problem with that?
- P95 is a bit shorter AFAIK, more like a semi-compact
- the grip on 95 is permanent, so he had better make sure it fits his hand fine (his hand isn't too big, he had problems handling a Glock properly, so he can't put any rubber modification on the grip)

Anything else?

 

[96/44]

I have both. The 95 is every bit as reliable as the 89. They are generally well thought of, and will run on just about any ammo. Mine loves Sellier & Bellot (should be available there, right?).

 

[roylt]

I would say you have it covered.
Poly vs metal frame.
Hand grip is pretty much it.

I really like my 89 and 95 both. They shoot about the same in my opinion.

Tell him to go for it!

 

[Knecht]

Thanks, guys!

Yes, S&B ammo is made here, so it's not only available, but also the cheapest on the market. Good for range practice, though not the best choice for SD carry (a little weak).

 

[blume357]

I don't think S&B ammo is made 'here'....

as for that:

http://georgia-arms.com/9mmluger.aspx

 

[Knecht]

Sellier&Bellot is a Czech company and AFAIK the production still runs right here in Czech rep. - so for me, it's "here" :)

 

[ncvikingfan]

I do not want to hi-jack the gentleman's thread. However, does anyone have experience with the Georgia Arms self defense ammo? It seems like it is reasonably priced on the link provided by blume357.

 

[ronin]

I agree with others. I will say that the P95 is a better carry gun. I have had the 85MKII, 89, 90, P345, and 2 P95s. I like the P345 the best.

 

[Knecht]

My friend just called me that after a range testing, he bought it.
Thanks again to those who shared their opinions.

 

[Mobuck]

I have both but actually prefer the P95 due to it's slightly smaller grip circumference. The newer ones have stipling which improves the grip.
Slight loss of velocity with the shorter barrel but my P95 has no problem pushing GodDots fast enough to expand.
Neither is a target pistol but all of the ones I've shot were 100% functional with whatever ammo I put in them. I've used handloads from just barely able to run the action(drops the brass at your feet) to hot +P and surplus w/o a hitch of any sort.
Most magazines work but there are occasional misfits so all your(his ) mags should be tested before using for SD.

 

[Knecht]

I'm looking forward to try his P95 someday and compare with my P89...

 

[Flyspek65]

Have no long term experience with Ruger P series. Did rent a P90, and P95, at a range. Both very reliable, rugged, and accurate. The only thing that I noticed about the P95 was that the grip felt a little slippery to me if my hands sweated on it.

If grip circumferance was an issue and could not use a slip on grip with it, I would have used a small length of bicycle inner tube for a better, tacky, gripping surface without adding to the grip dimension if it were mine.

Good pistol otherwise, would be good duty gun but a little too large for concealed carry.

Regards,

Flyspek

 

[Knecht]

He told me before he had problems gripping some guns with thicker grips (like Glocks), so I was a little surprised to hear that the P95 feels just right to him. I like massive handles and grips, so I really like my P89 with Hogue rubber grip on it.
I hope he will be happy with his new 9mm friend.
BTW, it was quite a bargain, he bought it pre-owned by two people who hardly ever shot it. So he got quite a brand new gun for a very nice price...
...bastard :)